One of the hottest rappers out of Atlanta continues to see success for his work, even months after its initial drop. Moreover, Lil Baby just got a new platinum plaque from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for his 2022 album, It’s Only Me. The project reportedly reached over 1 million album equivalent units sold in February of this year following its October release. While many might see this as Baby being late to the party or failing to meet these standards sooner, it also goes to show how long-lasting and relevant his work continues to be well after its release.
Not only that, but there might even be a new album from the 28-year-old soon with a very exciting name attached. Recently, producer Black Coffee hinted at Drake releasing a collab album with the “California Breeze” MC soon, although neither artist’s confirmed or denied this as of writing this article. Black Coffee worked heavily on Drizzy’s Honestly, Nevermind, so he’s quite the close source to get this info from. However, only time will tell if it actually manifests into a drop, yet the Toronto superstar’s joint project with 21 Savage certainly inspires hope with its precedent.
Lil Baby Gets Another Platinum Plaque For It’s Only Me
Unfortunately, while It’s Only Me sold very well, it represented a bit of a critical downturn for Lil Baby. Many fans weren’t pleased with the 23-song tracklist and cited a general lack of inspiration or notable songs. Of course, all music is subjective, so many stood by the Quality Control signee and kept bumping his new tracks. Regardless of whether every song is a hit, you can still count on him to deliver rhymes and topics with a bit more detail and grace than the average rapper. As such, maybe a mixed reception will motivate him even more to drop something special as its follow-up.
Meanwhile, it’s hard to imagine that the rapper worries too much about what others think of his musical output. As one of the most successful rappers of his generation from sales to guest verses and beyond, he still holds a strong grip on much of the hip-hop fanbase. Also, he got a lot of respect from his peers, including Lil Uzi Vert who said they’ve “never heard a bad song” from him. With that in mind, he definitely has the backing to keep pushing himself to greatness, and platinum plaques are just the cherry on top. Regardless, come back to HNHH for the latest updates and news on Lil Baby.
Despite the hardships he faced over the past few months, Quavo had a big smile on his face during his birthday festivities. The de facto frontman of the Migos rang in his 32nd birthday this weekend, accompanied by his friends and family. Videos emerged of the rapper’s festivities over the weekend as he hung out with members of the Quality Control family. Quavo and his crew posted up on a yacht with a plethora of women, including Yung Miami, as well as members of the QCM crew.
Perhaps, the most surprising guest at Quavo’s birthday bash was Lil Baby. Over the past few years, fans speculated that things between the HUNCHO artist and the “Bigger Picture” rapper have been strained. However, neither of them appeared to address the rumors directly. In fact, Lil Baby denied that there were any issues between himself and the Migos. Still, fans quickly noticed how Lil Baby didn’t appear to be enthusiastic about the festivities.
While he got his celebration on during an exclusive bash with his close friends and associates, he treated fans to a new snippet of music. The rapper shared an upcoming single on his Instagram page and it sounds like a promising entry ahead of his next studio album. Quavo dedicated the single to his late nephew, Takeoff, who died in November. “Happy Birthday Huncho,” he captioned the post. Taking Off The Rocket Way Tonight 2.30 [rocket emoji] The Only Gift Ima Ever Want Is To See U Again [infinity symbol emoji] [heart emoji]Appreciate All The Bday Wishes.”
Days before his birthday, Quavo dropped off his third single of the year, “Honeybun.” Following the release of “Without You,” which he performed at the Grammys, and “Greatness,” the rapper slid through with his latest single on Friday. The song interpolates Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex,” which was met with mixed emotions. However, it seems like his next solo album could be coming sometime in the near future. We’ll keep you posted on anymore updates surrounding Quavo’s next album. For now, check out his snippet above.
The rift between Offset and Quality Control may seem quiet on social media, but it’s heating up in the courtroom. The Migos star has gone to war with the label he once loved concerning his rights as a solo artist. Rumors about tension within Migos surfaced, and they were bolstered when Takeoff and Quavo released a joint project, Unc & Phew. Offset then pursued his solo career, which was quickly halted when the news of a lawsuit was shared.
The rapper reportedly took Quality Control Music to court, and they’ve been warring over who owns his solo recordings. The label wants to be credited, but it seems Offset is looking to distance himself. Radar Online claims to have obtained documents about the case, and the Rap star reportedly said QCM was interfering with his ability to release new music. In 2021, reads the documents, Set “came to understand the full ramification of the deal that he entered into.”
Offset & Quality Control Music At Odds
DECATUR, GA – August 23: Pierre “Pee” Thomas and Offset of the Group “Migos” attend Lil Yachty’s Surprise Birthday Lunch at Cici’s Pizza on August 23, 2016 in Decatur, Georgia.
After reviewing his contract, Set wanted to fly solo, contending he and QCM even negotiated a deal. In it, he could “reclaim the rights to his solo recording and songwriting,” Radar reported. Further, Offset stated he paid his label “handsomely” for the rights to his music. However, after releasing his track “54321,” QCM reportedly attempted to claim rights to the song.
“Offset now brings this action to vindicate his rights and make it clear to the world that Offset, not Quality Control, owns Offset’s music,” the lawsuit read. Meanwhile, Quality Control Music has asked for the suit to be tossed. According to Radar Online: “The label claimed it had an agreement with Capitol Records that required Capitol to assign all of Capitol’s rights in sound recordings obtained by Quality Control’s ‘Accepted Artist’ that it had furnished to Capitol back to Quality Control.” The rapper wants his newer agreement with QCM to trump whatever agreement the label had.
New Beginnings
Additionally, the rapper’s lawyer stated, “Quality Control no longer owns the copyright to Offset’s solo sound recordings and is no longer licensing Offset’s solo sound recordings to Capitol, and Capitol has acquired ownership of Offset’s solo sound recordings directly from Offset.” We’ll keep you updated as this case continues to unfold.
Braun lauded Quality Control co-founders Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas in a statement provided to Variety.
“I am so proud and honored to have Coach and P join Bang and me as our partners. QC is one of the most significant independent labels in the world, working with incredible artists who are, and remain to be, the voices of culture,” Braun said. “I’ll never forget riding around Atlanta over 20 years ago with Coach discussing our dreams and ambitions and how we said, ‘If they let us in the game, we are never going to give it back.’ Now, all these years later, we are joining forces to make these dreams a reality.”
While $320 million is a significant indication of how influential Quality Control has become, its true value can’t be quantified.
George State Representative Park Cannon hosted a ceremony at the Georgia State Capitol Building yesterday, March 15, to formally recognize QC, Coach K, and P as “the modern-day blueprint for success in the industry.” Cannon further cemented their legacy by making March 15 “QC Day” in Atlanta.
“You have been chosen to be honored on QC Day because you have worked diligently at your craft and brought millions of dollars in revenue along with notoriety to the City of Atlanta,” Cannon wrote, in part.
The official Quality Control Instagram account posted the full letter:
P posted photos from the ceremony, showing Lil Baby was in attendance:
Quality Control rocketed to success with Migos, and its roster has expanded to include such hitmakers as Baby, City Girls, and Lil Yachty.
There’s no doubt that Quality Control cemented its name. What they’ve done in Atlanta set a standard that allowed a new generation of artists to come into the game. Atlanta is home to some of the greatest rappers of all time. However, not every label that emerged from the city saw the same success as Quality Control. Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas transformed bubbling local rappers into the biggest success stories in rap. To this day, they continue to do so while expanding well beyond the realms of the A.
Today, the city of Atlanta honored the label with its very own day. City officials dubbed March 15th, 2023 “QC Day” in the city. On the label’s official Instagram page, they shared a letter from State Representative Park Cannon who commended Lee and Thomas. “You have been chosen to be honored on QC Day because you have worked diligently at your craft and brought millions of dollars in revenue along with notoriety to the City of Atlanta,” the letter reads. “As State Representative, I am elated at the opportunity to recognize your hard work in the Georgia State House Of Representatives.”
The news of QC Day in Atlanta comes a few weeks after Hybe acquired Quality Control in a $300M deal. However, Lee and Thomas will continue to have full control and creative direction of the company. “P and I are ecstatic about this partnership with Scooter and Hybe and are confident they can get us to our global ambitions we’ve had in our scope since the beginning of the company as nothing means more than our artists impacting worldwide,” Lee said in a statement. “Over many years, Scooter and I have cultivated real trust and a common way of looking at the world and culture.”
Quality Control launched in 2013 with Migos leading their roster. The group’s relationship with the label became strained in recent times due to Offset’s lawsuit against QC. However, they’ve expanded with the signing of artists like Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, and the City Girls. They also boast Solid Foundation Management branch, which manages artists like Trippie Redd. With the new deal with Hybe, and their official day in Atlanta, there’s no telling where Quality Control will head in the next decade.
Untrapped: The Story of Lil Babyis a documentary about how the Atlanta rapper built his rap career and the things he went through while building it. He went from being a prominent name in the Atlanta streets to the Atlanta music scene. For Lil Baby, his connections to the Atlanta figures like Young Thug, Gunna and Coach K of Quality Control all had a role in taking his name to where it is today. His documentary chronicles his journey through behind-the-scenes footage spanning from his childhood to visiting his neighborhood after making it to the night he performed at the GRAMMYs.
Lil Baby’s documentary is built around how other people supported himand their roles in his journey. Young Thug and Quality Control founders Coach K and P talk about how they believed in him as a rapper and as a person. Journalist Charles Holmes talked about how his background contrasted with Lil Baby in every way but they still had an excellent interview. Drake talked about how he is one of the biggest voices of the current generation of rap. Additionally, his Mom talked about how she always knew he was different from his peers. Everyone around him was rooting for him and that pushed him to bigger and bigger opportunities and experiences.
Lil Baby’s Atlanta Connections Started His Rap Career
In Untrapped: The Lil Baby Story, we learn something surprising about the Atlanta rapper: he didn’t really want to be a rapper. He had an established name in the streets and with that came a reputation. Lil Baby was confident people already knew who he was and respected him. Also, He also knew the money he was making in the streets was quick and did not require the work that being a rapper did. Fellow Atlanta rapper Young Thug wanted him off the streets and would literally pay him to stay off of them. He saw Lil Baby’s talent and wanted to steer him towards that more. However, Lil Baby was more concerned with his reputation and thought it would be tarnished if he left the streets to pursue rap.
Lil Baby regularly visited Quality Control, a prominent rap label in Atlanta. He enjoyed just hanging out there and knew the people there well. Founders Coach K and P saw something special in Lil Baby and wanted to give him a better path. They saw the fact he had a reputation in the streets was the reason he should pursue the rap career. People would already know his name and be interested and invested in the music he was making. Coach K and P told him once he got out of jail he could sign to Quality Control and that’s exactly what he did.
Lil Baby’s song “My Dawgs” was the first one that really took him to the next level. In the documentary, there was footage of small but supportive crowds singing the song word-for-word. The song resonated with people because of the things he was talking about and the authenticity behind them. Furthermore, “Drip Too Hard” was an even bigger hit because it featured another Atlanta artist that was on the rise – Gunna. In the doc, there was footage of him and Lil Baby performing the song at different music festivals. These crowds were even bigger than the previous ones and were giving the same amount of energy. Seeing this amount of growth in such a short period of time was very motivational to see. Lil Baby committed to the rap life even though he was skeptical of it initially and it paid off.
“The Bigger Picture” was one of the biggest songs in his career. In the documentary, there was social media footage and soundbites of people saying he was hard to understand. The CEO of Motown Records, Ethiopia Habtemariam, stated this is actually common with artists from Atlanta. This song forced these listeners to put this perspective to the side and truly focus on his words. During this portion of the documentary, footage of the pandemic was shown which included people marching/protesting while masked up. Lil Baby was amongst these people as he shot the music video for the song. He stated that he wanted to talk about what was currently happening across America. He also wanted to acknowledge black people dying from police violence is an ongoing issue. His own interactions with police played a role in the song’s formation too.
In the beginning of the documentary there is footage of Lil Baby as a child with his siblings playing in his neighborhood. After that, it cuts to Lil Baby’s children and offers a shift in perspective. He states he wants to have a real relationship with his children since he didn’t have one with his father. Later, he discussed being able to help people he knows from his neighborhood and there was footage of this as well. Seeing him drive his sports car through his old neighborhood was inspiring because without it he wouldn’t be doing that in the first place. In the final moments of the documentary he says “I’m tryna show them youngins that it’s bigger. I’m living proof…I’ll never be trapped again” Lil Baby’s documentary is a testament to the payoff a change in lifestyle can bring.
Untrapped: The Lil Baby Story is Streaming Now on Amazon Prime.
There is much wheeling and dealing in the industry, and Yung Joc recalls a falling out with Pierre “Pee” Thomas. To outsiders, it seems as if the Atlanta music scene is interconnected; everyone knows one another, so it was no surprise that Yung Joc and 2 Chainz were linking in the studio. However, things didn’t go as planned, and Joc detailed the tension that spawned. The Love & Hip Hop star shared his story while visiting the Big Facts Podcast.
As Yung Joc tells it, Quality Control boss Pierre Thomas was instrumental in funding a collaboration between Chainz and Joc. The record was finalized, so to speak, but there were a few hangups regarding clearances. 2 Chainz “gave me a love verse,” said Joc. “I will say that he gave me a love verse and that n*gga was going in. I was still signed and sh*t, so I came back. Me and P did a deal.”
Yung Joc Details The Fallout
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – FEBRUARY 15: Yung Joc and Kendra Johnson attend Hype Hair magazine cover release at Ventanas on February 15, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Joi Stokes/Getty Images)
“So, me and P put up $30,000 to push the record,” Joc continued. “I asked 2 Chainz to do it for me, and I’m a bring him the money and the label going to cut the rest of the check for them. So, I just give you a deposit on the label and cut the check.” Things progressed, but he still couldn’t move forward as expected. “It was time to get all the sh*t going. We got the radio playing it, and you know these markets, you start up a record in certain markets and sh*t. Then, when I’m coming to 2 Chainz, it was like we couldn’t never get the clearance on it.”
There was a holdup because the “label wouldn’t cut the check.” Joc continued, “I was like, ‘Damn, bro, I just need the clearance on this sh*t, like do something.’ So we kept going back and forth with the attorneys. It didn’t quite happen, and that sh*t kind of created a situation with me and P.”
Joc Shares Pierre Thomas’s Response
Ultimately, Thomas was frustrated because of the lack of movement. Joc explained that to Thomas, it felt as if it was a waste of finances. Check out Yung Joc detailing the story on Big Facts Pod above.
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